How Will You Measure Your Life?

Christensen begins a discussion of the successful furniture store IKEA. He asserts that what sets IKEA apart from its competitors is that it provides products that fulfill particular jobs for their customers. Other furniture stores tend to research their target audience and build products they think will appeal to this target audience. IKEA does not do this; instead, it designs its furniture and stores functionally.

Christensen shares an experience in which he and some colleagues were hired by a fast-food chain to study how it could make milkshake sales increase. The team analyzed the buying habits of customers who ordered milkshakes and surveys developed by the restaurant to get a better sense of their target demographic. They then asked customers what “job” the milkshake fulfilled. Many customers had trouble answering the question; however, the team discovered that customers often bought milkshakes for their commute. The drink served a specific purpose and was relatively easy to handle compared to other options such as bagels, which meant it could be consumed without hassle; it was also filling. The team’s framing of the question revealed more about milkshake customers than the restaurant’s surveys. Christensen then discusses how US schools want to make education more interesting for students but are going about it the wrong way. He suggests that schools ask themselves what job students need them to do. Students wish to become successful and make friends—thus, developing a curriculum accordingly would better position them for success than current models.

Christensen builds on these anecdotes and describes how people should apply a similar question to their relationships. He tells the story of his friend Scott, who came home from work one day to his upset wife, Barbara. He also noticed their dishes piled up in the sink. Thinking he was being helpful, Scott proceeded to clean the kitchen—and this, too, upset Barbara. Scott misunderstood Barbara’s desire for adult interaction after having spent the day with their children. According to Christensen, Scott misunderstood the job Barbara needed him to perform. This kind of misunderstanding often happens in marriages, and Christensen suggests bridging the disconnect by understanding one’s job. He closes the chapter by discussing the importance of sacrifice and suggests making one’s partner and their needs a priority. While difficult, sacrifice creates a happy, lasting relationship.

Christensen starts the topic of outsourcing with a discussion of the relationship between Dell computers and Asus, a Taiwanese company that supplied computer components. At first, the arrangement worked for both companies. However, Asus began contracting for more manufacturing until, eventually, Dell was only left with its name. In other words, the computer was made by Asus, but Dell remained the brand. Asus then began making its own computers, and Dell began losing its reputation as a company that produced solid computers. Christensen uses this anecdote to introduce the theory of capabilities, which is an umbrella term for three different aspects: resources, processes, and priorities.

Christensen says that resources consist of people, money, and equipment among other things. Resources are tangible and can be measured. Processes are less tangible and harder to quantify or measure. They typically consist of things like resource allocation and how products are developed and marketed. Priorities are perhaps the most important of the three aspects, as they guide decisions. Christensen then discusses how American companies’ tendency to outsource puts them at a competitive disadvantage against companies contracted to outsource manufacturing. He lists different industrial sectors that experienced Dell’s situation, including pharmaceuticals and the automobile industry. He warns against outsourcing one’s future.

Christensen then applies this theory to parenting. Many chores have become outsourced, such as lawn mowing and snow removal. Christensen sees this trend as negative, as he believes providing opportunities for children to work and overcome challenges is key to parenting. Though well-meaning, when parents overly plan their children’s time, usually with other adults, these adults will gain more influence. This is not a bad thing in itself—however, Christensen maintains that parents can only influence their children by being present in their lives. Instead, parents often outsource processes (the how) and priorities (the why). As an example, Christensen recalls his own youth and how his mother, Verda, would not do certain things for him. He discusses sewing socks with holes in them; his mother would quickly show him how to do it and then leave him to sew his own clothes. Christensen remembers the sense of accomplishment he gained from this self-reliance. This self-reliance—as per the theory of capabilities—is what he advocates for.